Thread: Are you patient and forgiving?

I've been emailing back and forth with a long time customer of mine which is a local landscaper. One of his customers accused us of causing her GFI to trip, which is where the controller is plugged into. Most controllers here are in the garage, and usually only one outlet which is a GFI. She is accusing us of this when we were there two months ago, and only to replace a bonnet in a PVB. She blamed and berated my employee. I told the landscaper that I would not be working for this person anymore.

We were discussing the need for hand holding, and mending fences, and all that. I am not one for that anymore. First off, she should have called us sooner when the lawn first started drying out. We don't sit there and monitor every or any system.

So my question is, are you patient and/or forgiving in these situations? I don't feel I am burning a bridge with her, just deciding to not do work for her anymore. I am tired of being blamed for everything that drys up or fails. For every person I turn away, I always have a waiting list for people that really want our service. I'm done coddling people. For the most part, all these people need to do lately is increase the duration and frequency of the watering program. It is very hot, very dry, very windy. And every lawn is burning up. You want green grass? Expect a huge water bill. Change the controller settings. It's no different than changing the thermostat in the fall or winter once it gets cold out. How friggin' easy is it to figure this out? Grass is dry. Give it more water. April and May conditions are different than late June, July and August. Sheesh....

I would try to be a patience and forgiving as possible, but I realized in the last couple of years that there are people out there that just can't be pleased.

I'd at least call her and talk to her personally. If the conversation goes south, then I'd end it right there.

ditto on that!

Some people you just can't please

But give a reasonable amount of effort on your part to do the right/kind thing even if it wasn't your fault. I think the image of your business is pretty important. IF you piss off 1 client they could gossip. I could easily see a ripple effect on a single street to either not gain new clients and or possibly loose some. They also have the ability to complain about your company easily online, angies list and the bbb.

I would try to be a patience and forgiving as possible, but I realized in the last couple of years that there are people out there that just can't be pleased.

I'd at least call her and talk to her personally. If the conversation goes south, then I'd end it right there.

I disagree. Screw this lady. Do you really need her to sustain your business? At some point in your business, you start choosing who you work for... and this part is fun. I am not quite there yet, but I have fired a few customers this year. I love telling people, "look it just isn't worth my time anymore. Would you like me to refer you to another contractor?" If these people are not going to respect your company, let them find someone else.

She blamed and berated my employee. I told the landscaper that I would not be working for this person anymore.

So my question is, are you patient and/or forgiving in these situations? I don't feel I am burning a bridge with her, just deciding to not do work for her anymore. I am tired of being blamed for everything that drys up or fails.

Sheesh....

Since you asked I will give you my 2 cents. Your first decision was based on morals and ethics.

Your concerns now are based on emotion.

As long as you are not dependent on this client, meaning she is not critical at all to your operation...drop her like a hot potato and don't look back.

We all like helpless people as clients, and want as many as we can. But this one crossed a line.

Not saying that emotions are a bad thing.............just don't let them be your master.

I'd try to satisfy the customer to a reasonable extent. If you are not making a profit on this customer, then cut your losses and move on. On the other hand, is his really the type of customer that you want? I remember back in the spring you talked about axing your PITA customers.

Checking the controller should have been part of your service call, regardless of what other reasons there were to be on site. On the other hand, clients who like to blame anyone but themselves for their mistakes are clients I don't need.

Well the thing is, this is a customer for the landscaper. We have been their service department for about 10-12 years or so. Not my customer, directly. The landscaper emails a work order, we schedule, do the work, bill the landscaper. He understands if I don't want to work on this system. He brought up the point of me calling her and talking to her now that she is calmed down, hopefully. But he also said that he had many issues with her during the initial landscaping, and worked through it. And also thought she might have chemical or emotional issues.

It is definitely not going to break me. It is one home, 1-3 service calls a year. It shouldn't affect my relationship with the landscaper, as we've worked well together, and he understands my issue to a degree. But he is the one that has been paid thousands of dollars from her. Not me. Me and my company handle a lot more people per day than this or any landscape company. We deal with 20-40 homes a day as they may deal with 1-3 homes a day. I have a lot more people on my plate to try and make happy. I can't continue to be patient and forgiving to the whiners and complainers and finger-pointers. The landscaper is a patient, forgiving, generous person.